


rosa-sinensis

by Salamander



Category: Final Fantasy X
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-23
Updated: 2012-02-23
Packaged: 2017-10-31 15:39:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/345761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salamander/pseuds/Salamander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Auron, Jecht and Braska pause to watch a festival during their pilgrimage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	rosa-sinensis

**Author's Note:**

> My first non-crossover foray into FFX fandom, hurrah! I wrote this for the Valentine's Day Short Fic Challenge on ultima_arena, which is a part of ff_land on livejournal. It placed first overall.

The procession wound down the street all colourful wings and fake pyreflies fluttering in its wake. Auron, being his usual self, scowled at the inappropriate shouting and skirted past a dancing pair of children as he rejoined Braska and Jecht.

"You didn't tell me they did such good parties in Spira!" Jecht elbowed Auron in the ribs. "Holdin' out on me, are ya?"

"It's not a party," Auron hissed. "It's meant to be a solemn occasion."

"We get little enough chance to let our inhibitions run free, Auron. Would you take this away from them?"

Auron reddened slightly at the mild rebuke. "My Lord," he mumbled, shuffling from foot to foot like a recalcitrant teenager.

Jecht guffawed and slapped him on the back. "Are you gonna cry, huh? Just like my boy."

"I am not going to cry." Auron stiffened his back and looked straight ahead.

"Hey, they have food!" Jecht rolled up onto his toes and peered off between the crowds. "I'm off!" he called behind him, as he jogged away.

Braska pushed his hands into his sleeves and smiled at Auron. "It's nice to see him enjoying himself," he said.

"And without drink, for once."

"You're too hard on him. You know he hasn't touched alcohol since the Shoopuf."

"Hm."

Jecht swallowed a mouthful of something that smelled strongly of herbs and made Auron's stomach rumble. "Hey, check  _these_  out! I got us one each." He held out his arms, which were full of something in a blinding shade of pink. He grabbed one of them and threw it over Auron's head with glee. "It suits you!"

Braska took his and held it up to the fading sun, examining the flowers carefully. "Hibiscus," he said with a smile. "Did you get these on purpose, Jecht?"

"Uh, well. You know. Yeah, I kinda did." He scratched the back of his neck bashfully. "I remembered you saying something about your little Yuna..." he trailed off.

Auron's jaw dropped for a second before he composed himself. "You... you actually did something nice."

"Hey, I'm not a complete monster, Auron. You're kinda insulting sometimes, you know?" Jecht dropped his own wreath of hibiscus around his neck.

"Hm. You look ridiculous."

"Well, you looked ridiculous first!"

"I think we should wear them until we get to the next temple," Braska said as he adjusted his wreath. It clashed horribly with his headdress.

Auron pulled a face, but it wasn't entirely in bad spirits. If he was honest with himself, he was inordinately touched by Jecht's gesture. He put his hand to the wreath and smiled. The petals felt velvety underneath his fingertips, and he suspected that the perfume of hibiscus would forever remind him of Jecht.

Jecht, in his usual moment-ruining fashion, plucked a flower from his own wreath and tucked it behind Auron's ear with a gruff laugh. "Gorgeous," he said, with a tinge of something strange in his voice.

Auron raised an eyebrow, and filed away that particular incident for figuring out later on, perhaps when his nostrils weren't filled with that scent, and his mind wasn't filled with those thoughts he tried to hide with hurtful words.

Braska only smiled, and held his wreath up to his nose, inhaling deeply of the perfume. "It seems I am forever fated to associate this scent with people I love," he said, quietly.

Jecht realised that he was staring, then flicked his gaze away quickly as if he was embarrassed.

"I'm okay with that," Auron said, clearing his throat. And for once he did not move away from Jecht, who leaned heavily against his shoulder with a sigh of utter contentment.

"Let's just stay here," he said softly, and Auron smiled, at that.

"Would that we could," Braska said, leaning into Jecht's other shoulder. All of their bodies touched at the knee, thigh and shoulder, and Jecht had never felt so warm inside with the scent of hibiscus in his nose and the sure heaviness of Auron and Braska on either side.


End file.
